Internal-explosion engine.



, w. .ERWIN INTERNAL EXPLOSION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-29, 1 916.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Jmrenlor:

W. ERWIN. INTERNAL EXPLOSION ENGINE, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1916.

1213 172. I Patented Jan. 23,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE. f

WILLIAM ERWIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, IPENNSYLVANIA.

INTERNAL-EXPLOSION ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ERWIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at No. 4844 Cedar avenue, in the cit of Philadelphia, in thecounty of Ph' adelphia and.

Figure 1, is a left side view of the en-' gine, with the left side andlower part of the generator casing broken away, and the turbine andpressure chamber shown in cen tral vertical section; Fig. 2 is a planview of the automatically reversing pedals which control the engine feedvalve; Fig. 3, is a horizontal sectional view of the generator upon theline of its main shaft, seen from above; Fig. 4, is a rear view of thegenerator, with the rear part of its casing broken away, and a part ofthe supporting bracket of its main shaft also broken away; Fig. 5, is avertical sectional view of the generator upon line in Fig. 3, seen fromthe left; Fig. 6, is a vertical section of a fragment of the generatorupon line 46 in Fig. 3, seen from the left; Fig. 7 is a crank used tostart the generator by hand to obtain an initial pressure in thepressure chamber.

This engine consists of five essential parts,-

the pressure generator 1, the pressure chamber or reservoir 2, theturbine 3 which is operated by the pressure in chamber 2, theautomatically reversing pedals 31 and 32 which control valve 30 and theflow of pressure from chamber 2 to turbine 3, and the automaticallyacting adjustable mechanism which controls the driving gears ofgenerator shaft 9. Pressure chamber'2 having exactly the same functionas the steam chest of a steam engine, may actuate the piston of a-.reciprocating engine as easily and perfectly as the turbine of a rotaryengine. As shown in the drawings, generator 1 and turbine 3 are bestbuilt integrally with appropriate walls of chamber 2..

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

Application filed March 29, 1916. Serial No. 87,468.

This engine differs from all other internal combustion or explosionengines byusing as its motive power an explosive solid, such for exampleas cordite, as distinguished from an explosive liquid, or explosivevapor, or explosive gas.

The cordite is wound upon an axle 4 to form a reel 5, which-is suitablyplaced in generator 1, and its free end is fed by rollers 6 and 7 toeccentrically curved divider 8, which is fixed upon or integral withgenerator shaft 9, and at each revolution separates from the free end ofthe cordite each lndividual charge for explosion, and carries it to aposition opposite spark plugs 10 and 11, a hot spark being timed bycircuit 12 to pass directly from one spark plug to the other and explodethe cordite at thisjuncture. The resulting gases pass by their ownpressure through passages 13 and 14 to the bottom of vessel 15, withinpressure chamber 2, which contains a washing liquid, through which thegases pass upward through sieves 16 to still further divide the gasbubbles to complete the washing, and thence into pressure chamber 2.

Power shaft 17, of turbine 3, passes directly through pressure chamber2, from which it is separated by sleeve'18. Worm 19 on sleeve 20, uponpower shaft 17 behind pressure chamber 2, drives worm gear 21, which isloose upon generator shaft 9. Worm gear 21 drives wheel 22 by a pawl andratchet gear, and wheel 22 drives shaft 9, being fixed upon it. Worm 23upon shaft 9 drives crown worm gear 24, the shaft of which is roller 6.Gear 25 upon the front end of roller shaft 6 meshing with gear 26 uponroller 7, turns the latter toward 6 to carry the free end of the corditeto divider 8. Without disturbing worm gear 21, an initial pressure maybe obtained in pressure chamber 2 by giving a few turns to generatorshaft 9 with crank 27 rectangular lug 28 of which fits into acorresponding recess 29 in the outer end of shaft 9, after which theoperation of the entire mechanism becomes automatic, and may be startedor stopped by opening or closing turbine feed valve 30 by pressingforward pedals 31 or 32 respectively, the pedals reversingautomatically.

' The motive power of the generator, derived from shaft 17, isautomatically controlled by the pressure in chamber 2, by said pressureactingsupon piston 34, spring 35, lever 36, and clutch 37 one member ofwhich member is slidingly geared to sleeve 20. A lowered pressure inchamber 2 allows spring 35 to press piston 34 farther into it, whichcauses lever 36 to engage clutch 37 and thus operate the generator whenthe engine is running. An unduly raised pressure in chamber 2 willovercome spring 35, push piston 34 outward and cause lever 36 todisengage clutch 37, thus stopping the generator.

An overcharge of pressure in chamber 2 will push piston 34 outward andescape through vent 38 in the wall of chamber The working pressure inchamber 2, indicated by gage 33 upon its wall, is adjustable byregulating the pressure of spring 35, by screwing cap 39 toward thespring for a higher pressure, or by screwing it away from the spring fora lower pressure.

The speed of the gears which operate the generator is so proportionedthat the generator will be in continuous operation when the engine isrunning at highest speed with heaviest load, and will automaticallyoperate intermittently at lower engine speed or load to keep thepressure in chamber 2 at the predetermined degree. Exhaust chamber 40and exhaust pipe 41 receive and deliver the exhaust gases to aconvenient part of the machine.

. A, part of the gases resulting from the successive explosions ingenerator 1 leak backward around divider 8, and thus maintain in thegenerator a pressure equal to that in chamber 2. When a fresh reel ofcordite is needed, screw-bolt 42 is turned inward by handle 43 as far asit will go, thus closing assage 13, retaining the pressure in chamher 2,and also opening by-pass 44, which allows escape of pressure ingenerator 1 around the narrow stem of screw-bolt 42. This by-pass alsoprevents damage by possible hand operation of the generator when passage13 is closed by screw-bolt 42. After the new reel of cordite has beenplaced in the enerator, screw-bolt 42 is turned outward as far as itwill go, thus closing bypass 44 and opening passage 13. .Valve 47 inchamber 2 allows the inflation of pneumatic vehicle tires by flow ofpressure from chamber 2 through a connecting tube to the tires. Theouter bracket supporting shaft 9, also supports a rotary circuitbreaker, which is operated by shaft 9. Upon the inner surface of circle48, which is made of insulating material, are three plates 49, two ofthem conducting plates forming part of the sparking circuit, and allthree separated from each other by diagonal interspaces 50, the circuitbeing made and broken byconducting roller 51 carried by shaft 9. Manhole52 permits access to the interior of chamber 2.

is fixed upon shaft 17, and the other Having described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an explosion engine or motor, a power generator, whose movingparts have a constant rotary motion, for containing and exploding anexplosive solid, comprising the combination of a power generatorchamber, a reel therein to support said explosive solid, rollers forfeeding said explosive for explosion, a rotary divider for separatingthe individual charges for explosion and delivering them to the path ofa sparking or exploding circuit, a sparking 0r exploding circuit whichdelivers its spark between two spark plugs, and a rotary circuit breakeroperated by the generator shaft for timing the exploding spark.

2. In an explosion engine or motor, the combination of a powergenerator, whose moving parts have a constant rotary motion, forcontaining and exploding an explosive solid, with a pressure powerchamber for storing the resulting gases,.and for delivering them to themotor of the engine.

3. In an explosion engine or motor, the combination of a powergenerator, whose moving parts have a constant rotary motion, forcontaining and exploding an explosive solid, means for exploding saidexplosive solid in the generator, and a pressure power chamber forstoring the resulting gases, and for delivering them to the motor of theen ine.

4. In an explosion engine or motor, the combination of a rotary powergenerator for containing and exploding an explosive solid, means forexploding said explosive solid in the generator, a pressure powerchamber for storing the resulting gases and delivering them to the motorof the engine, and generator operating gears. automatically disconnectedby excess pressure in said pressure chamber, said gears being adjustableto operate at.various pressures.

5. In an explosion engine or motor, the combination of a rotary powergenerator for containing and exploding an explosive solid, means forexploding said explosive solid in the generator, a pressure powerchamber for storing the resulting gases and delivering them to the motorof' the engine, generator operating gears automatically disconnected byexcess pressure in said pressure chamber. said gears being adjustable tooperate at various pressures, and a fluid pressure turbine or rotarymotor operated by the pressure in said pressure chamber.

6. In an explosion engine or motor, the combination of a pressurestorage power chamber, a rotary power generator integral with a wall ofsaid chamber for containing and exploding an explosive solid anddelivering the resulting gases to said chamber, means for exploding saidexplosive solid'in the generator, a fluid pressure turbine or rotarymotor integral with another wall of said chamber operated by thepressure in said chamber, a valvein the same wall of said chamberadmitting its pressure to said turbine or rotary motor, andautomatically reversing pedals controlling said valve.

7. In an explosion engine or motor, the combination with a pressurestorage power chamber, of a pressure relief vent in a wall of saidchamber, a piston within said chamber covering said relief vent untilovercome and moved away from it by excessive pressure within saidchamber, a rotary power generator integral with another wall of saidchamber for containingand exploding an explosive solid and deliveringthe resulting gases to said chamber, means for exploding said explosivesolid in said generator, a gear shifting lever operated by said piston,generator driving gears upon the power shaft of said engine or motormoved by said shifting lever out of operative position by excesspressure upon said piston, and an adjustable spring resisting saidpiston and moving the piston over said vent, and moving the gearshifting lever and the enerator driving gears into operative positionupon reduction of pressure within said chamber.

8. In an explosion engine or motor, the

combination of a pressure storage power chamber, a rotary powergenerator integral with a wall of said chamber for containing andexploding an. explosive solid, means for exploding said explosive solidin said generator and delivering the resulting gases to said chamber, avessel contained in said chamber, a washing liquid contained in saidvessel for washing said gases upon their passage from the generatorthrough the liquid into said chamber, and a turbine or rotary motorintegral with another wall of said chamber operated by the fluidpressure within said chamber and operating said generator.

9. In an engine or motor operated from a chamber containing a fluidpressure, an automatic feeding device for said chamber, adjustable tooperate at various pressures within said chamber, comprising thecombination with said chamber of a generator integral with one of itswalls for containing and exploding an explosive solid and delivering theresulting gases to said chamber, means for exploding said explosivesolid in said generator, at screw-bolt for retaining the pressure insaid chamber, a bypass-for releasing the pressure in said generator, apiston contained within said chamber actuatedby excess pressure therein,a gear shifting lever operated by said piston, generator driving gearsupon the power shaft of said engine or motor moved by said shiftinglever out of operative position by excess pressure within said chamberupon said piston, and an adjustable spring resisting said piston andmoving the piston, the erator driving gears into operative positionup'on reduction of pressure within said chamber.

10. In an engine or motor operated from a chamber containing a fluidpressure, the combination with said chamber of a rotary power generatorintegral with a Wall of said chamber for containing and exploding anexplosive solid and delivering the resulting gases to said chamber,means for exploding said explosive solid in the generator, a pressurerelief vent in another wall of said chamber, a piston within saidchamber covering said vent and moved away from it by excessive pressurein said chamber, an ad ustable spring \VlilhlIl sald chamber returningsaid piston to cover said vent upon= reduction of pressure in saidchamber, and a valve in still another wall of said aha-m ber allowing aflow of its fluid pressure into the pneumatic tires of a vehicle fortheir inflation or for such like use.

11. In an engine or motor operated from a chamber containing a fluidpressure, the combination of a rotary power generator integral with a.wall of said chamber for containing and exploding an explosive solid anddelivering the resulting gases into said chamber, means for explodingsaid explosive solid in said generator, generator driving gears upon thepower shaft of said engine or motor, a piston within said chamberactuated by excess pressure therein, a gear shifting lever operated bysaid piston to move the generator driving gears out of operativeposition by excess pressure in said chamber, and an adjustable springresisting said piston and moving said generator driving gears intooperative position by reversing said gear shifting lever uponreductionof pressure in said chamber.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses;

, WILLIAM ERWIN.

Witnesses,

GEORGE A, ROECKLE, Josnrn F. HANNA.

gear shifting lever and the gen-

